1. Dig the planting hole...

...as deep as the existing rootball (the clump of soil surrounding the roots), and at least twice as wide. Loosen the soil on the sides of the hole with a shovel or spade fork, especially if your soil is heavy clay.

2. Container Trees & Shrubs

Lay the container on its side and gently slide the rootball out. Fiber containers may be sliced open with a sharp knift and peeled away. Loosen the roots slightly to encourage their growth into the surrounding soil. If the roots are still soft and fibrous, this can be done by crumbling away an inch or so of the container soil from around the outside of the ball and pulling the roots out. If there is a tight circle or mat of roots, break them up by slicing vertically through the lower half of the rootball with a spade or knife.

 

Balled and Burlapped Trees and Shrubs:

Remove the fiber container if it can be done WITHOUT letting the wrapped rootball fall apart. Set the rootball in the hole (it its final position) and gently peel the burlap wrapping from the top half. Cut off the excess or fold it down beneath the bottom half of the rootball. Be sure to remove all twine or wires from around the trunk of the tree and top of the rootball. Synthetic burlap should be totally removed.

 

Bareroot Trees & Shrubs:

Dormant season only (January-March)

Keep roots covered and moist (or soak overnight) before planting. Prune out damaged or rotted roots. Form a cone of loose soil in the center of the hole and spread the roots over it. Position the plant's height so that the crown (where the roots meet the trunk) is at or slightly below the finished soil surface, and rotate the plant to where you feel it looks best. If the trunk has a conspicuous graft, it should be kept at least 1 inch above the soil surface.

 

3. Fill the planting hole...

...and cover the rootball with native soil (dug from the hole) that has been amended with 20% by volume of garden compost, composted manure, OR meat moss. In heavy clay soils, substitute ground bark mulch. Add a complete fertilizer to this mix according to label directions for size and height of plant. It's good to mix the amended soil with native soil along the sides of the planting hole as much as possible. Compact the soil lightly by stepping (Not stomping) on it, to eliminate air pockets in the soil. Build up a ring of soil at the edge of the planting hole to form a saucer to hold surface water in the root zone.

 

4. Water well...

...with a slow soaking to wet the soil to the full depth of the the rootball. Because water does not move easily between different soil textures, be sure to water the rootball as well as the surrounding soil. Newly planted shrubs and trees should be deeply watered on a regular basis the first two growing seasons (typically Mar. - Oct.) after planting, to keep the root zone moist by not soaking wet. One inch / once a week - unless it rains heavily - is a good standard for most trees and large shrubs in average soils. Insufficient or inconsistent watering is the #1 cause of death or lack of vigor amoung young trees.

 

5. Mulch...

...an area extending around the base of the plant. A mulch layer 2 to 4 inches thick will help hold in soil moisture, keep down weeds, and protect the trunk from damage. To avoid crown rot, keep the mulch 6 to 8 inches away from direct contact with the trunk.

 

6. (Optional): Stake...

...young trees which may be susceptible to wind or other damage, particularly in exposed areas, such as parking strips. Drive two strong stakes (such as wood 2x2's, re-bar, or manufactured stakes) into firm ground about 1 to 2 feet out from the trunk, and perpendicular to the prevailing wind. Stakes should be tall enough to be tied at 1/2 to 2/3 of the tree's height, up to about 5 feet. Tie stakes to the tree loosely with a non-chafing material, such as plastic "chain lock", rubber tree ties or old bicycle tire tubes. The tree should be able to move freely in most winds but not blow over in a storm. Remove the stakes and ties after one full growing season.

 

7. (Optional): Prune...

...only to remove dead or broken branches, or to make a few training cuts. Check trees annually for pruning needs.

 

 

 

Potted Plants

Plants that have been grown in containers can be planted any time of the year. It is good practice to ensure that the plating depth is no deeper than the current soil level in the pot. Even raising the planting depth slightly can help, as the newly disturbed soil will in time cause the plant to sink into the ground an inch or two.

The addition of a good quality compost, fish, blood and bone meal when planting are beneficial to the development and establishment of the plant in its new location. Gardeners have used them for hundreds of years. They worked well then and they work well now.

Watering is key to a new plant surviving its first season in the ground. It should not be allowed to completely dry out, especially in hot summer weather. In hot dry summers a plant should be watered at least 4 times a week. Watering in the morning or evening is also the best time when the chance of evaporation is less. This will also help prevent the leaves from being scorched from water splashes.

• Dig the hole down to a depth roughly the same as the height of the pot. (See notes on clay soils)

 

• Always loosen the sides of the hole including the bottom with a trowel or fork. This will help the roots of the plant penetrate into the surrounding earth.

• Add blood and bone meal to the hole at this stage. Loosely dig it in and then water the hole well.

 

• Tease the plant out of the pot by squeezing the sides and then tapping the bottom. If it does not slide out easily do not pull on the plant stem as this could damage the roots. Check to see if any roots have grown through the bottom of the pot and trim these. It may be easier to slit the sides of the pot and remove it that way.

• Loosen the roots slightly before planting. If the roots are tightly packed you can slit the roots with a pair of pruners or paring knife. This will encourage outward growth. Check to see if the hole is the right depth and amend where necessary.

 

• Place the plant into the hole and back fill with fresh compost. Firm in the plant by pressing around the stem, either by hand or lightly with your foot.

• Dig in a little more blood and bone meal around the top of the planting area and lightly fork in.

 

• Water well again.

…….and continue to water!

Planting in clay; heavy clay soils are prevalent in many areas of the Fraser Valley. When planting in clay it is usually recommended to raise the bed/ planting area in height, either by creating a berm or by implementing a raised bed. This will decrease the chance of the plant sitting in a bowl of water and rotting the root system. If this option is not viable it may help to double digthe planting area and then incorporate a mixture of composted bark mulch, sand and well-rotted compost/animal manure. The addition of lime to clay soils also helps break up the soil, however this is not recommended if growing acid loving plants such as Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias. 

 

Balled & Burlapped Plants

B&B plants are ones that have been field grown and then dug either by hand or machine. B&B is a common practice, often applied for larger specimens. When purchasing a B&B plant it is important that you keep the root ball moist if delaying planting for a time. Preferably place the plant on soil to prevent excessive water loss. If storing on a paved surface remember you will have to water it far more often. Drooping branches/foliage will indicate a lack if water.

• Dig the hole to the same depth as the root ball. (see notes on clay soils)

 

• Loosen the sides of the hole and the bottom.

• Add blood/bone meal to hole and also good quality compost.

 

• Water hole in well.

• Place plant in hole and untie the burlap from the top of the root ball. Pull the burlap back slightly to expose the soil. Remove any nylon or plastic string.

 

• If there is a cage on the root ball once string has been removed push down the metal either with your hand or with a spade. This is more to hide it rather than for the health of the plant. The cage will not impede on the plants growth and will rust away within a couple of years.

• Back fill hole with good quality compost and firm in the plant with your heel. Mulch over the top of the hole and water in well.

 

• Add any fertilizer if wanted around the drip line of the tree avoiding the stem and foliage.

………..and then continue to water through them hot summer months!

Trees

B&B Specimen Trees

The planting of a large caliper specimen tree is a laborious task however very much worth the instant results that a mature tree can give your garden. It is worth taking time to plant it correctly the first time, as it is a daunting task if you were to try moving it again. Good soil preparation and fertilizing are key. If the root ball does not have significant weight to keep it anchored it may be viable to stake the tree thus preventing root rock. Watering will need to be carried out throughout the season and even into the next when particularly dry. Under watering or inconsistent watering is the number one cause of plant loss!

• For best results dig the hole at least twice the diameter of the root ball. Keep the depth of the hole slightly less than the height of the root ball. Allowing the root ball to be slightly proud of the hole. (See notes on clay soil)

• Loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole and add good quality compost and blood/bone meal and/or slow release fertilizer.

 

• Water the hole well, ensure at least a few gallons.

• Check the depth is still right and amend if necessary.

 

• Place the tree into the hole, leaving the root ball intact. Cut any string and peel the burlap back, cutting off any excess or folding it back into the hole. Try to pull out as much of the string as possible and use a spade to push down the sides of the metal cage.

• Backfill with topsoil.

 

• Water again and then mulch at least 4-5 inches over planting area with bark mulch. If planting within a lawn it is advisable to leave a circular area around the stem for water to penetrate easier.

…….continue to water through the season, paying close attention in hot weather!

 

 

Potted Shade Trees

Most of our potted shade trees come in each year as bare root stock. This therefore means that when a tree is purchased earlier on in the season it may have fewer new roots than expected or the soil will fall away from the root stock. This is nothing to be worried about however there are a few things in addition to consider whilst planting these kind of trees. Staking and the use of a transplant liquid will help your new tree establish itself well.

Many of our smaller trees are also sold in gro-bags. These are made of synthetic material and are therefore not bio-degradable. They should be removed before planting by either untying the string and pulling off the bag or slitting it open with an exacto knife.

If a tree has a loose root stock you will have to stake it. This will prevent any damage caused by wind rock.

Please see the staking section for more details on plant support.